Rise Festival
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/61/RiseFestivalLondonLogo.png)
Rise was a free anti-racism music festival held in London, England, from 1996 to 2008. Originally organised as an anti-racism festival by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), it was revived as such by the former mayor of London, Ken Livingstone.[1] In June 2008, the Greater London Authority, under newly elected mayor Boris Johnson, removed the anti-racist message of the festival.[2] Subsequently, the trade unions UNISON and Unite the Union withdrew their festival funding,[3][4] and Johnson cancelled the festival in April 2009, blaming lack of sponsorship.[5]
When, in 1996, the festival was set up,[1] it was originally called "Respect". While primarily a music festival, it also worked to encourage trade unions, voluntary groups, charities and community organisations to highlight their work and ideas concerning equality and the promotion of anti-racism.[citation needed]
The original event took part in Finsbury Park and featured artists Chumbawamba, Fun-Da-Mental, Asian Dub Foundation and Incognito. In 1997, the featured musicians were Luciano, Audioweb, the Fun Lovin' Criminals and Dreadzone and the event took place in Victoria Park, Hackney.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Rise_festival_2008.jpg/200px-Rise_festival_2008.jpg)
There was no event between 1998 and 2000, but in May 2000 Ken Livingstone was elected mayor with a manifesto pledge to organise that the anti-racist festival become a yearly event.[citation needed]
The first festival, dubbed "Respect", under Livingstone's tenure, took place in 2001 and attracted around 60,000 people. Since then attendances have been reached around 100,000.[6] After the launch of the political party also called Respect, the festival changed its name to Rise for 2005. After the 7 July 2005 London bombings it was renamed London United, but changed back to just Rise in 2008.[citation needed]
The 2008 festival saw headliner Jimmy Cliff cut off during his set when it overran past the 8:30 pm curfew time, with the sound system switched off halfway through a performance of "Rivers of Babylon", causing him and the band to leave the stage in silence.[7]
In 2010, Rise was given new life as a people's festival named UpRise with the venue again in Finsbury Park, supported by unions such as SERTUC, UNISON, NUT and Unite the Union among others.[8]
List of festivals
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/London_united_logo.jpg/220px-London_united_logo.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Ammy_CoCo_From_Togo_The_Rise_Festival_London_2005.jpg/220px-Ammy_CoCo_From_Togo_The_Rise_Festival_London_2005.jpg)
- 20 July 1996 – Finsbury Park – Chumbawamba, Fun-Da-Mental, Asian Dub Foundation, Incognito
- 12 July 1997 – Victoria Park, Hackney – The Specials, Luciano, Audioweb, Fun Lovin' Criminals, Dreadzone
- 21 July 2001 – Finsbury Park – Blue, Run DMC, Mis-Teeq, Desmond Dekker
- 20 July 2002 – Victoria Park, Hackney – De La Soul
- 19 July 2003 – Millennium Dome – Public Enemy, Gregory Isaacs, Panjabi MC, Estelle
- 17 July 2004 – Victoria Park, Hackney – Apache Indian, Tim Westwood, Big Brovaz, Lady Sovereign, Jay Sean
- 16 July 2005 – Burgess Park, Peckham – Lemar, Goldie Lookin Chain, Raghav
- 8 July 2006 – Finsbury Park – Graham Coxon, Sway, the Buzzcocks, Killa Kela, Roy Ayers, The Wailers, Common, Swami
- 15 July 2007 – Finsbury Park – Kelis, Jamelia, The Skatalites, Saint Etienne, Noisettes, K'naan
- 13 July 2008 – Finsbury Park – CSS, Jimmy Cliff
- 12 July 2009 – Finsbury Park – picnic in the park in protest of the cancellation of Rise
- 3 October 2010 – Finsbury Park – UpRise festival featuring Ty, Omar, Yabba Funk, Imaani, Aruba Red, United Vibrations, Jimmy Screech
- 25 September 2011 – Dalston – UpRise festival – ESKA, Miss Baby Sol, Cynikal, Sara Pascoe, Aruba Red, Fiona Bevan
- 30 September 2012 – Hackney Wick – UpRise festival – Ava Vidal, Danica Hunter, Potent Whisper
External links
[edit]- Official web site
- Rise: London United Mayoral Official Website.
- UpRise Official web site
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Boris Johnson scraps multicultural music festival Rise". the Guardian. 8 April 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ How the Boris Johnson anti-racist festival row unfolded
- ^ UNISON Withdraws Rise Festival Funding
- ^ Unite to Cease Funding Rise Stage after Mayor's Political Censorship
- ^ Rise Festival Falls To Funding Failure
- ^ "UpRise – Festival rises to fill the gap left by Boris". Islington Tribune. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ Jimmy Cliff was left performing in silence as his headline set ran over the curfew at this year's Rise Festival
- ^ Bartholomew, Emma (27 September 2011). "Rebranded UpRise festival could become a permanent Hackney fixture". Hackney Gazette. Retrieved 21 April 2021.